Drum of the wolves
by CrowAndTheTwistedSpoon
Summary: The big bad wolf is in town and Yugi has no idea what is in store for him. The world of the wolves will begin to unfold for him as he starts to run away from his chaotic life.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: The big bad wolf is in town and Yugi has no idea what is in store for him. The world of the wolves will begin to unfold for him as he starts to run away from his chaotic life.

Warnings: Mild yaoi/puzzleshipping content.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: The characters of Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs entirely to Kazuki Takahashi.

**Drum of the Wolves**

**Chapter 1**

Yugi thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, but it had. Sitting on the edge of his bed with his hands intertwined, his gaze was fixed on his cold hands. It was like as if he stared long enough all his problems and sadness would go away. The emptiness that hollowed out his body and mind seemed to seep out of him and out into the room as well, making time seem to stand still. Only the rain outside was a reminder of the passing of time. It rained a lot these days. It was fall. This time of year it often rained above Domino City and the other nearby coastline cities. This evening the rain was a welcome guest outside. It eased Yugi's feeble mind. It always did for some reason, whether it was the sound of the drumming on the windows or the sight of it hitting the pavement he couldn't tell, maybe both.

Only when a drop of redness hit Yugi's hands did he wake up from his weird slumber. A thick line of blood was slowly slithering down his face and started dripping onto his small hands. At first he didn't notice, but then he touched his forehead with his fingers, patting on red lines. The blood didn't come as a surprise. He half expected it to be there. His mother had taken a tough beating out of him. Images of her attack flashed back at Yugi, making him flinch. At first it had been about the dishes not being done, next it was about her suspicions about Yugi skipping school. He had soon noticed that more than a bottle of red wine had been emptied on the table in the sitting room. Yugi knew what it meant as soon as he saw the empty bottle. She was not herself. Not anymore.

At first she slapped him in the face several times and then it went on to beating of his torso and arms. Yugi couldn't help but stand still and take it, until he was forced to the floor with only his bruised arms to protect him. It went on and on forever, so it felt like for Yugi.

He was so afraid he would lose control and do something bad to her. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her because of him. So he took it all in. In the end she hit him the head with one of the empty bottles from the table, hence the blood now dripping down his face. His mom stopped after that hit. That was the oddest of times, when she seemed to wake up from a bad dream and act like nothing happened. She had thrown herself to the floor like always and tried to cradle Yugi in her arms and mumble unintelligible words to him, but he pushed her away with an ungentle flick of his arms. She never understood this. She never understood anything. She started crying. She screamed for him to tell her what was wrong, but he couldn't.

He felt such great guilt towards her. Inside Yugi's mind she had all the right in the world to beat him up as much as she wanted to. It was his entire fault anyway, all of it.

Inside Yugi's room he still sat there on the edge of his bed motionless. He imagined how he would turn on his mother and scream at her instead. Throw all the bottles on the wall, so all the red and amber contents would color it like a painting. He would tell her to go away and be gone. Though, he knew in his heart he would never really say those things, even if the chance presented itself to him.

The thing with the boy Yugi is that, even though he experiences a lot of misfortune, he always tries to keep his chin up and look positively on the world around him, but that particular evening was different. Something inside him had reached its limit. He had had enough. He wanted out, wherever out could be. The thought of a world without any beatings and words like "I don't love you!" or "I hate you!" or "Everything is your fault!" seemed pretty good to him. The thought of starting over somewhere new made him happy.

With those words in mind Yugi stood up, not minding the now coagulating blood on his forehead and hands. He started packing the most important things, things anyone would need to get by with, money, passport, clothes, and cell phone. Yugi took a quick look on his Cell. Bakura had called him several times tonight, his childhood friend. The last thing Yugi wanted right now was to call Bakura, they weren't exactly very close. Yugi would just bother him by telling him what was going on.

There were no room for any of his games and puzzles Yugi soon found out. Yugi had a huge affinity with his puzzles, he loved to lose himself in them and become totally absorbed, but he would have to do without them. He gave a silent thought to his cat named Tiger, speaking of which had avoided Yugi lately. Tiger used to be around him all the time and cuddle up against him whenever he returned home from school, but the passing month had been different, since the weird pains started.

The pains…

They hadn't been there today at all. With increasing frequency and strength these weird pains had taken over Yugi, mostly in the evenings. It didn't just feel like his blood was boiling, but also like his bones were crackling and even, changing positions or something like that? No. That was too weird to even be real.

Yugi shook his head along with the ridiculous thought.

Tiger would have to do without Yugi too now. Whenever Yugi entered a room with Tiger in it this passing month the cat hissed at him and scurried away like there was a dog chasing it. He was going to miss that cat even though it was going completely mental Yugi decided, just like he was going to miss school in a way. Though he didn't really have any friends he could speak of except Bakura, he would miss that one normal part of his chaotic life even so.

When Yugi had gathered his things in a sports bag he poked out his head in the big empty hallway. His mother's slash his own apartment was not exactly cheap. All the walls were squeaky white with black wooden panels. Here and there, designer furniture was set up. Big golden paintings with some fancy artist name written on it dominated the wall decorations. It might be big and fancy, but everywhere the dust lay as a reminder of the silence that had occupied the apartment for 2 years.

2 years ago…

Yugi's own room was big as well, but it was oddly uninhabited by things or atmosphere. Yugi never really thought it belonged to him in the first place.

With Yugi's head hanging like a ghost at the doorframe in his room he took the first step towards the unknown life. He walked silently to the outer door, expecting his mother, even wanting? To come and beg him to stay, but nothing happened. She couldn't hear him and he couldn't hear her. Maybe that was for the best, if he just disappeared. He couldn't hear her sulking or crying anywhere in the big apartment. He wondered where she was. Yugi's sudden warmer thoughts towards his mother led him off stray again. What the hell was he doing? He had just made up his mind. A sudden burst of anger made Yugi take a hold in the doorknob and turn it. This is over he thought bitterly - my chance to get away. A small voice inside him was drowned by the long needed reckoning with his mother. The smaller voice screamed to be heard, not to leave his mother like this. But it was too late.

Yugi slammed the door and couldn't stop himself from running down the stairs and out into the rain and a dark sky. The rain felt so much better than Yugi ever imagined. He had shortly been afraid of how the cold would feel, but at that moment nothing mattered except being swept away by the sound and feel of the rain. The sky itself was filled with the darkest clouds. Yugi started to run down the street. The last bits of blue and light were slowly disappearing to the night.

When winter is on its way, the air gets filled with a scent of burning wood and buried memories. It is as much a horrifying scent as it is refreshing. The days seem shorter, cut away by winter darkness. Sometimes a numbing pain accompanies these things. Right now for Yugi this was the case. The scent of the winter that was about to come and the memories that haunted him was terrifying.

As Yugi ran his chest heaved fast, up and down. As a boy who never really submerged himself in any kind of exercise, he was strangely fit. Yugi is still very young, being 16 years of age. He is one of the smallest guys in his school, being a total of 153 cm high. Yugi is a slender guy; thin may even be a better word. He has a very soft and gentle face. His eyes are big, lighter violet and innocent looking, it is eyes that are easy to feel great compassion for, but what is maybe the most significant thing about him when you meet him at first hand is his hair. His hair escapes in a big 7-pointed star, the edges has a darker magenta color, while the inner part of his huge mane is black. His fringe is covered with blonde golden bangs that jut out to the sides of his head; mostly just a few bangles cover his forehead. Yugi might look interesting because of his peculiar looks, maybe he did to other people, but the fact still remained that people from Yugi's school always had been afraid of talking to him. After a year in his new school people still saw him as this rich kid who kept to himself.

As Yugi ran a welcome relief came. Another feeling of pain than the one he felt up until now. He had to stop. His chest felt like it was about to burst. With the pounding of his heart and the slamming rain on the pavement Yugi looked out upon the street he was on. In his confusion he hadn't really noticed where he was running. He was closer to the Domino City center, but still some blocks away from it. Then it hit him. What on earth was he supposed to do now? He had nowhere to go – nowhere to sleep or to eat. What should he do? Yugi smacked the palm of his hand onto his face in his own stupidity. That was his thoughts at the time. He hadn't thought this properly through at all. And that was not all. Yugi's pants and jacket were getting soaking wet, soon the rest of his clothes would get soaked as well. This wasn't good. Yugi's light golden locks were turned sadly downwards. His breath slowly returned. The warmth he had just acquired from running left his muscles and skin. Soon he stood shivering with folded arms over his chest. The last thing Yugi wanted right now was to return home. That would be ridiculous and he wanted to go through with this.

Yugi stood quietly and looked out upon the falling rain. It looked so beautiful when a car passed by – the rain that hit the road was lit up in a magnificent display. Even though Yugi was shivering to the bone he felt a strange sense of wellbeing. As mentioned before rain always made Yugi feel at ease. He could sit for a long time, at home or at school and drift off into daydreaming, especially when it rained. He had often dreamed of running through the rain effortlessly for hours and let his legs take him wherever his heart longed. Now that he had come to the end of his endurance and he was as lost in what to do as he could be, he froze - something suddenly caught his eyes.

On the other side of the road sat a big dog, only, that it didn't really look like a dog. It reminded him more of a wolf, but it couldn't be. It had a dark grayish coat. That was the only thing Yugi could make out from the distance. It must have been sitting there for as long as Yugi had been standing on the same spot, he would have seen it move he was sure of that. There was something strange about the dog; the more Yugi looked at it in the rain, the more he became convinced that the dog was looking straight back at him. He couldn't tell why he was sure of it. The dog had a curious expression about it. It was like it was observing him. Yugi had never seen a dog sitting that still before. He looked around to see if it looked like anyone owned the dog and was maybe looking for it, but there was no one around. It was just him and the dog sitting on the other side of the road. The rain was the only noise that met them in the curious stillness.

Without any hesitation the dog suddenly got up on all fours and jogged over to Yugi's side of the road. Yugi didn't quite know what to make of it all and he stiffened as the dog sat down right beside him. He had heard of stray dogs which had without warning attacked random people. The thought made him quite uneasy. Who knew what stray dogs would suddenly do?

Besides the utter bewilderment of a state Yugi was sent into when the dog casually sat down beside him, he could get a closer look at the dog. It was very beautiful. The dog's coat was actually light gray with a darker streak going down its spine. It resembled a wolf more than it did a mere dog, but what did he know of how real wolves looked like anyway? Maybe it was one of those half-breeds people loved to have these days. The dog had a long nose, pointy ears and its coat was really thick, probably very warm too. Yugi was awestruck by its pretty gray coat; he had never seen an animal like this one before. Then Yugi noticed its eyes as the dog looked straight into his.

Yugi felt like he was being swept away. Never had he seen such green eyes. They reminded him of the sea, endless and beautiful. Yugi completely lost himself in the dog's eyes for a while, until the dog quivered and whimpered at the same time. Yugi shook as he woke up as from a dream. The dog seemed concerned for some reason he could not fathom at the moment, it seemed so human. Then Yugi noticed his nose had started bleeding. That happened often for him; sometimes his nose would start bleeding out of the blue. With a jerk he sent an awkward hand up to the bridges of his nose to try and stop the bleeding though he knew for the time being it wouldn't help him at all.

"Great, just what I needed right now." Yugi sighed.

With a heavy take of breath Yugi looked around for a place to go and clean up. Yugi wondered to himself just how scary he must look. If anyone were to walk by him now they would most likely see a messed up, bruised and bloody nosed boy, not to mention totally soaked. Yugi noticed the dog cocked its head to what looked like an amused gesture, like it knew what he had just thought.

Yugi found it a bit scary and added "Right, I appreciate the concern, but I have to go now, you should go home now boy… girl, whatever you are, to wherever you live."

Had that just sounded a lot better in his head than it actually did? Hell it did. Like a dog knew what he was thinking or like it knew complex human emotions. But none the less with those words Yugi turned and made for the nearest place that would offer some kind of restroom.

Yugi experienced an odd feeling of restraint towards leaving the dog which beauty had truly baffled him. He turned his face to see if the dog was still there; it was. It simply looked at him, still sitting on the same spot. Not moving. There was something about that dog Yugi thought silently to himself. It made him wish he had one. He would love to have a dog he could call his own, if he did he would never have to be alone anymore, not in the same way at least. This dog was surely something else, but he was never going to see it again anyway. Or so he thought.

With that last thought on the dog, he turned his attention towards figuring out where to go. He walked several blocks before deciding giving up and going home yet was not an option. Usually Yugi would have stayed in his room all evening playing games on a night like this. He really cared for all kinds of card games and difficult puzzles. They made him forget his problems for a while and let him get completely absorbed in the mysteries they offered. Yugi couldn't imagine life without them, and yet he had left his home without a single kind of game. If not for the games he would probably have gone insane like his mother. Everyone has their own medicine he thought grimly.

Yugi had gotten closer to the Domino City center. The density of people was greater here and he hadn't even noticed some of them looking at him weirdly, the few that looked up from their umbrellas anyway. The sky was pitch black and it didn't seem like the rain was going to stop anytime soon. Yugi couldn't feel his fingers at all now. His heart sank. He looked around, lost and very uncomfortable. He had no idea for how long he had walked around.

He laid his eyes on several of the nearby cafés where he could find some temporary warmth and comfort, but then it hit him again how he looked. On a second thought, maybe not – Yugi produced a small crooked smile from imagining people's faces if he were to walk in someplace as he looked right now. Then Yugi saw the yellow neon sign and the entryway which lead to underground metro station. There had to be a restroom there somewhere. It had been a long time since Yugi had last been there, not to mention anywhere outside Domino City. He moved quickly down the stairs, finally escaping from the heavy rain.

Underground every hallway and every crook was lit up in an odd artificial light, making Yugi look even worse than before. Yugi finally found what he was looking for, only to be disappointed by a large sign saying – temporarily out of order – on it. He tried taking a hold on the handle, but it wouldn't budge. Yugi sighed and turned around. This was indeed one of the worst nights of his life.

What now? He thought darkly.

Without thinking much about it, he walked slowly to the metro train area, which was almost deserted by people. Had he really lost that much track of time? Guess he had, Yugi thought. He sat down on the nearest bench. He had often thought about boarding the first and best train and let it take it wherever it lead him. Maybe that wasn't the worst idea after all. He could just go on board and let time pass. Why had he never thought of that before? Surely leaving even Domino City behind was a tempting thought, he never cared much for this city anyway…

No, that was his own self pity talking… A strike of guilt made its way to Yugi's heart. How could he have just thought of a horrible thing like that? And what was he doing leaving his mother behind to fend for herself? She was sick and she needed his help.

Suddenly Yugi cracked over in pain in his seat. His arms folded across his stomach. Again, his blood was heating up and his bones were crackling. It hurt so much, but Yugi had no idea how to stop it. He should have gone to a doctor long ago, but then they would see all his bruises on his body and they would take the last bit of a life he had away from him… If anyone found out… Yugi thought.

A high pitched whining sound of a coming train made Yugi look up from his wreathed position in his seat. Yugi barely got up; his sports bag was heavy now against his back. He walked inside while breathing heavily and sat down on the nearest seat. The compartment seemed empty, Yugi looked around and saw only a few other people in the other end of the space. In his pain they looked like dark shadows to him – so very silent and hollow. But finally, they pain slowly subsided. He could breathe again. Even though he was cold and wet, when the train started to move he was filled with a welcome feeling of silence. The train moved inside dark tunnels, but quickly came out on the other side, showing Yugi the lights of the City. Yugi was reminded of how big Domino City actually was. The metro system stretched a long way. How long Yugi couldn't tell, but hell, it was long enough for him to receive a small measure of peace.

Yugi closed his eyes after having watched many lights in the dark come and go. He felt an overwhelming urge to let go and fall into sleep when someone beside him coughed nervously.

"Ahem, you look like you could use this."

The voice made Yugi jump slightly and his heart skipped a beat. He opened his eyes to see a boy looking somewhat older than himself stand next to him with a handkerchief in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.

It was not the kindness from a total stranger that surprised Yugi the most, but the guy in his whole that made Yugi speechless for the seconds he took everything in that this stranger was. The first thing that stroke Yugi was his voice. It was deep and edgy – it sent odd tremors down Yugi's body. Then Yugi noticed the very weird resemblance between himself and the stranger. His hair looked oddly like Yugi's own. Was he just having a run-in with his otherworldly half? Or maybe, yeah he must be seeing things, because this creature couldn't be from this world, he was too good-looking for that. They might look alike, but Yugi felt like he was nothing compared to the stranger. He looked awfully tall, lean and muscular and on top of that that amazing deep voice accompanied him. Yugi's face should already have exploded of redness by now by thinking all those ungodly things and it almost had. He must be dreaming.

"Uh, are you there?"

Yugi blinked several times before realizing he wasn't.

Yugi's faster-than-lightning hand went up to scratch his face.

"Eh sorry, you kind of took me off guard." Did he just say that? Yugi thought chaotically. "Thank you this is really kind of you."

Yugi reached out for the handkerchief and the bottle of water in the stranger's hands and before succumbing to the utter awkwardness of the situation he motioned for the stranger to sit down next to him; and he did.

Some silence went by until – "did you, get into a fight or something? Are you all right?"

Once again the stranger's kindness took Yugi by surprise. Yugi stiffened and sat motionless without knowing what to say. He sat still with the tools in his hands, feeling evenly awkward about the whole situation. On one hand, no one had ever asked him before what was up with the bruises and gashes on his body and on the other hand because he felt like he was sitting next to a dreamlike angel whose looks and charisma was beyond this world of all living beings. Yugi felt short of breath and he was betting that his cheeks got redder by the second. Yugi's silence didn't seem to affect the strange boy. The stranger gently took the bottle and handkerchief out of Yugi's hands, opened the bottle and pressed it towards the piece of cloth, wetting it.

"Looks like to me something bad happened to you… Let me help you."

Without Yugi's permission or even before Yugi knew it the stranger gently moved his hand with the wetted handkerchief up to Yugi's face and starting wiping away the stiffened blood under his nose. Yugi froze. He felt like his heart would beat out of his chest, but even so… He let the stranger continue. The stranger then dapped away the blood from Yugi's gash on his forehead with the same strange gentleness. Yugi felt like he had to do something, before… So he asked.

"Thank you… What's your name? And why are you helping me like this?"

"My name is Yami." Yami smiled with a faint smile. "You really looked like you could use the help."

"I don't… need your help." Yugi gazed down on his hands to avoid the eye contact of Yami.

"I think you do Yugi."

Yugi froze again, how did he know his name? He looked up in Yami's eyes, only to be surprised once more.

It was like he had just seen those eyes before - the same green eyes, the eyes of the sea. But it couldn't be. Yugi felt like he could lose himself in them again, and for a few seconds he did and they seemed to last forever to him. They had such an endless green depth. Yuki had to force himself to wake up from his trance.

"Wha, how do you know my name? And stop doing that thing with your eyes it creeps me the hell out."

That sentence seemed to take Yami aback.

"Uh, I just… I just do."

"Like I'm going to believe you just happen to know my name. What are you, some kind of stalker or something?"

"Would you want me to be?"

"What?" Yugi's cheeks flamed red. "What are you talking about?"

"What a way to repay the kindness a stranger awards you." Yami smiled. "Accusing me for a stalker."

"What, well no, that's not, um, I'm very grateful for your help, but I don't know you."

The stranger put on an angel like grin that both made Yugi want to punch him in the face and made him melt at the same time. Yugi feared the stranger's deep resonating voice would melt his heart completely.

"You see, I'm sort of a psychic. That's why I know your name."

"Like I believe that…" Yugi looked down at his hands and started fidgeting with them. "But really, thank you, no one has ever done anything like that for me before."

"People say there's a first time for everything don't they?"

"That's true… I guess."

Yugi smiled faintly while he felt like he would quickly melt away in the seat by Yami's endearing smile. Yugi's big and innocent looking eyes turned towards the moving train. Yami's kindness still amazed him, but it also made him somewhat uneasy. He had no idea if he could trust this person.

"Can I ask you, what were doing out in the rain all by yourself, looking like that?" Yami seemed genuinely curious.

"I was… just going for a walk."

"Is that so? Yami shifted in his seat and blinked with those seductive long eyelashes of his. "Look, you don't have to keep your guard up like that around me; I'm here to help you actually. You could call me your guardian angel."

Yugi was speechless. Was this guy for real? Maybe he was an escapee from some mental institution and he had seen Yugi looking like himself and he figured his own weird things. What, no! What was he thinking, that was too out there to be true. And what on earth should he answer to something like that?

"Um, thank you, Yami."

Yami had this curious smile on him. A smile Yugi thought he had seen somewhere before recently.

"You think I'm insane don't you?" Yami giggled more to himself than to Yugi.

"Well what would you think if anyone came along and said they were your guardian angel?"

"I would be happy I guess." Yami's serious expression returned.

Yugi thought he was right for a moment, he literally just needed a pair of wings and then he would be all set.

"Look" Yami said. "All I want you to know for now is that you are not as alone as you think you are and running away as not going to solve anything."

"How did you?" Yugi stammered.

Yugi had no idea what to say. The silence between them was louder than anything else in that moment until Yami broke it.

"I have to go now, but you will see me again sometime." Yami got up to walk away, but for some reason Yugi couldn't understand he suddenly reached out for Yami's wrist and grabbed it. What happened next was an even greater shock for the both of them.

A burning sensation started from Yugi's fingertips and ran down the whole length of his arm. Jolts of light sparked inside his brain. So many images flashed past Yugi's eyelids, some were too fast to be seen, but he could make out a lot of them. Flashes of Yami and flashes of people in his life, of things he had done and experienced.

In the link between them Yugi felt a force awaken. It was like a ray of light. It was so strong. If Yami hadn't wriggled free of Yugi's grip then Yugi felt like he would have passed out. Yugi shook and looked up at Yami.

"What just happened?" What did you do to me?" Yugi's shaking voice echoed in the empty compartment. "Tell me, what on earth just happened?"

The train came to a halt. Yami looked all shook up as well. He shivered all over his body. He looked into Yugi's eyes one last time before he said "wait at the school gates tomorrow, I will be there for you." Then Yami darted for the door. He was gone in a few seconds.

"Wait! Come back!"

Yugi hurried out the train doors before they closed. He looked furiously to where Yami had gone, but he was nowhere to be seen. The train had stopped at an open place surrounded by trees; it was very calm and suburban looking. They must have driven for a lot longer than Yugi noticed. It was so quiet around him, the only sound came from the rustling of leaves. The train soon disappeared into the night.

In spite of feeling like a complete idiot he called out into the still dark: "Yami!" No one answered him. How on earth could he have disappeared this fast? As time passed by Yugi felt more uneasy. He had never experienced anything this freaky before. He decided to sit down on the outside bench and wait for the next train that could take him closer to the city center. He would end up going home after all.

Yugi's gut feeling told him that there had been no coincidence tonight. Who was this Yami person? How did he know so much about Yugi? Just his name… How?

Yugi ended up with countless of possibilities, none which actually made sense, right until the next train appeared and he went on board. Inside Yugi sat down and stared out into the night.

As the train started moving the only thing Yugi could think of was the way Yami had smiled, the way his green eyes shone in the artificial light and how his lips had moved when he spoke - for a second Yugi gasped for air and he shook his head. It was time to get down to earth he thought. He could feel how fast his heart was suddenly beating. Yugi leaned back and crashed his head against his seat. All his thoughts were spinning out of control.

Only a few seconds had passed since he sat down and he already felt dizzy. It felt like the pains were on their way back. Yugi turned his eyes towards the platform the train was now leaving. What he saw made him jump up on his feet. He couldn't believe it. The dog with the green eyes was standing on the platform. It looked straightly at him with a focused gaze. Yugi pressed a hand against the window glass to make sure he wasn't dreaming. The dog started running along the train by Yugi's window.

Something even peculiar happened while Yugi stared out on the green eyed dog. Time seemed to slow down. Yugi thought he heard a heart beating. It beat stronger and stronger. The pace was the same, but the beating got louder by each ticking second. It felt like for Yugi that time was running ten times slower than normal. He saw the dog run in slow-motion outside the window. The beating of the heart kept getting stronger, until the long platform stopped to exist and the dog was no longer there to see.

The beating of the heart, like a drum, disappeared as fast as it had come.

Yugi fell back in his seat. It was difficult for him to breathe properly. In tact with the heart beating the pains had returned with full throttle. Yugi squirmed in his seat. His hands went to his temples. His head felt like it would explode.

Yugi didn't understand what had just happened. Never had he felt as strong an urge to run beside that creature outside the window. Run, run and run until his heart collapsed. He suddenly saw Yami in his inner eye, wiping away the blood from his face. He would never forget that moment.

Little did Yugi know, that the night he met Yami, would change his life for good.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Yami couldn't keep up with the train for long. Soon it disappeared in the distance and Yugi with it. After running out of the compartment Yami had sought refuge behind some bushes to hide as quickly as possible. He couldn't go back, not now, not after what happened.

Yugi's touch…

It was different. He knew Yugi's body and mind had burned the same way as his own. He could see it in his eyes and expressions. This boy was different. Yami had never accounted such a great presence before. And then there was everything else…

Yugi, trying to act so tough, but in reality he was just a scared and lonely little individual. Just like… well. Yami replayed the small amount of time he was with Yugi in his head. The way he moved intrigued him and the way he kept turning his gaze on his small hands whenever he felt uncomfortable. Everything about him was interesting, even now when Yami finally came around to seeing him up close and meeting him for real.

How could he tell Yugi tomorrow what a spy he'd been? He didn't know now. And first of all he needed permission to see him too. He felt a strong urge to go back to him already. Why?

He had to he decided. It wouldn't hurt at all going back to see him when he turned. So he did. Yugi wouldn't believe what he saw anyway. He made sure no one was watching and then he stripped off all his clothes, revealing everything. Naked, Yami's slender muscular body transformed. He hunched over as the new wolfen body began to emerge. It just took a couple of seconds to turn. He was used to it now and he had been for a long time. Then, Yami jumped out in front of the bushes as the gray and green eyed wolf with the black streak across his spine.

Yami ran up to the train and he soon found Yugi sitting right at a window. It didn't take Yugi long to notice him. Yugi jumped up as he saw him, letting his one hand touch the window glass. So he did remember him from before? If Yami had been in his human form, he would have smiled. The train started moving - as did Yami. He couldn't tell why, but he had to stay with Yugi as long as he could.

But what was that? Yugi seemed to be in severe pain.

So.

His transformation has finally begun. Yami could only hope not all the way through now.

Then Yami started hearing the drumming. Like a beat of a heart. It was so strong. He wondered if Yugi heard it too. It was a new drum…

The images he had seen in Yugi's mind when they linked were blocked somehow. That was unusual. Yugi must be very strong indeed since he had the strength to block them.

The train disappeared and Yugi with it. Yami stood frozen in place. He gazed out in the distance as the lights of the train faded. Yugi had turned towards home… It made Yami glad for some reason. Whatever Yugi was hiding, he chose to face it instead of running away - at least for now. Yami caught himself thinking he didn't like the thought of anyone hurting Yugi and a small growl emerged from his throat from that thought alone.

It was time Yami headed home as well. So the wolf jumped down beside the train tracks and ran through the silent night.

* * *

><p>The night passed, and Yugi found himself going home even though he promised himself this previous life as he called it would be over, but he realized with Yami's help that there is no such thing as changing the past for good. Yami's words echoed inside Yugi's head. Yugi thought it true that he may run from it for a while, but what Yami had said was right. He couldn't run from it wherever he went.<p>

Yugi fell asleep back home with great restlessness. He dreamed of the dog he had seen twice that last evening. He remembered every word Yami had spoken to him. He was not even near him and his presence and the fire of his touch still lingered on his skin. Yugi woke several times that night with a pounding heart. Sweat trickled down his skin. Just before dawn he woke again with the pains returning. Yugi churned in his bed waiting for the pains to go away.

* * *

><p>Yugi returned to school the following day. The school entrance emerged in the distance as Yugi was walking when someone yelled for him. Yugi froze, for a second he thought it might be Yami, but it was someone else.<p>

"Hey Yugi! Wait up!" Bakura suddenly appeared behind him. The long white haired boy with the dark brown eyes looked as he usually did, with his Domino High School uniform perfectly set. "Hey…" he was panting. "didn't you hear me? I was calling for you."

"Hey Bakura, sorry I didn't hear you. I… was lost in my own thoughts."

"That's all right, are you okay by the way I noticed you skipped school yesterday."

"Thanks I'm okay, I just felt ill that's all."

"But, what about that wound on your forehead? Looks like someone hit you with a frying pan."

Yugi laughed nervously at the thought of how close Bakura came to the truth.

"Err, it's nothing really, I'm fine, I accidently hit my head."

"You! Hitting your head, Yugi you are seriously clumsy at times." Bakura smiled warmly at Yugi. Yugi figured it was to make him feel better and it did. Bakura had a knack for making him feel better when he was down.

Bakura had been there for Yugi since he could remember. They were childhood friends and they had stuck together ever since they met. Yugi always felt himself out of league with Bakura, since he was quite good looking and attracted a lot of girls too, well not that it mattered, but still, Yugi never did, not that he knew of at least.

Speaking of attraction, Yugi recalled everything that happened to him last night. Why on earth did he find himself attracted to this guy all of a sudden? Yugi's cheeks flamed red just from thinking of it and Bakura noticed immediately.

Bakura looked at Yugi while they were closing in on the main gates.

"What's that I see there? Looks like you're thinking of someone special aren't you? You are so far away in your thoughts."

"What! No! Not at all. Well, I did meet someone strange last night, it was kind of creepy."

"Ohh you did, did you? Tell me who it is." Bakura put on that self-satisfied smirk that made Yugi want to punch him.

"It's not like it's important. It was just this strange guy."

"Ahh I knew it Yugi, you can't keep anything from me - and a guy huh?"

"Stop it already!" Yugi's fidgeting hands went straight to his hair. "I don't want to talk about this when in school, we can talk after okay?" Yugi suddenly remembered what Yami had said just before he ran out of the train compartment. "Wait uhh, I mean, there's something I have to do after school, so tomorrow okay?"

"Wait what do you have to do? Come on you can tell me." Bakura didn't give up that easily.

"I have to, go home and check on my cat; I haven't seen it for a couple of days now" Yugi lied.

"Oh your cat has gone missing have it? Well all right. I really hope you find it." With those words and a strained smile from Yugi they made it inside the school main building and went to class.

"Me too."

* * *

><p>Yugi's day in school went by as usual, except for the growing anticipation from the meeting he knew he wouldn't miss out on for the world. Something was going on and he wanted to know what. Yami had better show up and explain himself to him.<p>

First, this gorgeous guy shows up from nowhere and helps him, second, when Yugi grabbed his wrist that fiery link seemed to awaken between them. What was that in the first place and all those images? And hadn't Yami shared an uncanny similarity with the dog he met earlier that evening?

Anyway – Yugi hoped all of his questions was about to be answered.

After school Bakura clung to Yugi as a suckerfish, he clearly knew something was up.

"Yuuuugiiii, can I follow you home pleeease?"

"Bakura quit being so nosy already. Nothing's up – I'm just going home as usual."

Bakura followed Yugi closely all the way to the main gate of the school among all the other students pouring out of it.

"But I just want to follow a good friend home that's all, and besides –" Bakura suddenly stopped speaking. "Hey Yugi, that guy is staring at you."

Yugi turned his attention towards the street and right as Bakura was, Yami was standing, looking somewhat nervous on the sidewalk. Several people turned their heads as they passed by Yami, some girls even giggled as they passed. Yami didn't seem to notice, but the head of a little mini conscious version of Yugi on his shoulder began to boil. Yugi resisted and shook his head, what on earth was he thinking?

"See you Bakura, I have to go."

Yugi started running to get away from Bakura as fast as he could, that nosy boy would just make fun of him if he told him what was really going on.

As he reached Yami, a warm smile met him.

"Hey, I thought you weren't going to show up after all, but you did."

"Yeah." Yugi started fidgeting with his hands again. He noticed for a brief second Yami looked nervous too by the way he couldn't figure out how to stand or how to lean against a wall.

"Let's get out of here before my friend starts to bawl at me about you."

"Huh, who?"

Yugi nudged his head in Bakura's direction, but instead of running after Yugi as he thought he would, Bakura stood staring at them with a very peculiar expression. Was that anger he saw etched into Bakura's face?

"You're friends with him?" Yami asked.

"Yeah since the first years of elementary, why?"

"Nothing at all - I was just curious, and yeah let's get out of here."

Yugi sensed in Yami's tone that there was more to that than met the neutral tone in Yami's voice. They started walking beside each other. Yugi stole a glance at Yami's outfit, which consisted of black jeans and a black sleeveless top. His wrists was encased with a pair of black cuffs. Without even trying Yami's sexiness overwhelmed Yugi.

"Arent you cold?" Yugi asked precautiously. "Its not exactly summer."

"Nah, I'm fine this way. The cold doenst get to me as much as for normal people." Yami looked like he immediately regretted his choice of words. "err, I mean, you know."

Yugi thought it funny and strange at the same time and he laughed with a certain sweetnees only he could do. "I think I know what you mean yeah. By the way, where should we go?"

"I wonder." Yami said. "I know maybe it sounds weird to ask, but do you want to go to the zoo? I love to see the animals there, it has such a soothing effect on me."

"Um yeah sure why not." Yugi answered thinking the zoo was the last place he would think of going right now, but why turn Yami down? The Domino Zoo was not so far away.

"You know." Yugi started remembering what he wanted in the first place. "What exactly happened last night?" And how come you came out of nowhere all of a sudden? I need answers to that."

Yami was silent at his side. He seemed to think hard over his choice of words. Finally he said – "okay, I will give you the answers, but you're the one who's going to make sense of them all right."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that it's not easy answers and you might not believe them, that's up to you."

"Well, as long as it's the truth then it doesn't matter I guess."

"It matters a great deal, it will change your life and I by the way I want answers in return too."

What on earth could you want any answers from me for? I'm just… a regular, guy and you are… well." A hot seductive angel Yugi thought and frowned.

"What am I?" Yami answered in a very smooth and seductive voice without even noticing it.

Seeing Yugi's red face made Yami smile and also seem like it made him equally perplexed.

"I want to know, for example." Yami suddenly stopped to put a finger on Yugi's forehead. Yugi tried to dodge if because of what happened last night when they touched.

"Hey don't touch me, I mean… of course you can, but."

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember what happened last night? Or are you telling me you didn't feel the same way at all?"

"Well err, I did… just not. Ugh, okay hear me out. I want to know who caused that wound on your forehead so I can punish them properly."

Yugi's cheeks flamed red. "Wha – what you can't do that. And don't try to dodge the subject."

"Why not?" Yami smoothly continued to avoid the subject at hand and Yugi luckily didn't seem to take any notice of it at the moment.

"Because…" Yugi last of all wanted to answer that question in spite of how happy it made him to hear that Yami was trying to protect him. Maybe… he felt something. Maybe he felt like Yugi did? No that was too outrageous to think of.

"It's someone very close to me who did this."

Yami without being able to control himself placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder to get his full attention. Clothing remained between their touch, so no fire erupted, even though Yugi feared it.

"Look, I know there's something special about you and the thought of someone hurting you makes me angry for some reason."

Was that? Some kind of confession of his growing feelings on Yami's behalf?

Yugi smiled. "You can't hurt my mother can you?"

"What?"

Yami's smile faded. "I didn't think… I'm sorry. I thought it might be some bullies or something."

"No its all right, don't mention it." Yugi's smiled turned into a faint one. "It's not like it's her fault, it's my own anyway."

"I refuse to believe that." Yami said.

"You don't know what happened." Yugi persisted.

"No I don't, but I want you to tell me about it."

Yugi's silence was as great an answer as any.

"I will tell you everything if you tell me about your past Yugi, I promise."

Yugi thought about what he had to lose and he concluded that there wasn't anything if he told Yami about it all. He felt a growing urge to share with Yami, what he had shared with no one ever. He also felt that he somehow could confide in him; even trust him with his secret. To Yugi, there must be a reason why they met - so he said – "okay, I'll tell you about it, but you have to promise that you won't tell anybody else okay?"

"Not going to happen I promise."

And so they wandered on to The Domino City Zoo.

* * *

><p>Yami carefully chose the zoo for a reason. First of all, he needed to see how Yugi reacted to certain kind of animal and second, they wouldn't be disturbed by anyone there, he hoped…<p>

Yugi silently walked beside him as they entered the zoo. Yami stole a glance at him from time to time. He already loved, did he think loved? Guess he did – how Yugi spoke and how he gestured. He was a stubborn guy, which made Yami like him all the more. His lips moved in a way that made Yami want to do things. He couldn't help it, Yugi's sweet innocence and his brave nature was so interesting, so likeable. Yami thought to himself, that he would do anything to protect him, from anyone… even his mother if it came to that.

"It's a long time since I've been here." Yugi said with a faraway look in his eyes while looking at the elephants in their enclosure. "It's not like there's been a lot of time to do stuff I want when… you know."

"I can imagine" Yami replied. "How did it come to that if I can ask you that?"

"Well, I haven't told anyone, not even my best friend of this, but… 2 years ago, my little brother died and my father disappeared into thin air. Its been hard for my mom ever since."

"Wow, I'm sorry Yugi, that's a big load to carry all by yourself. You don't even mention how hard it's been for you."

Yami suddenly felt an urge to turn around and hold Yugi close to him, to shield him from any harm in the world and make him forget all he had suffered, if such a thing could happen. He looked out into the distance, not minding the animals or anything else for a few seconds. Yugi was not the only one who had suffered he thought grimly.

"Yugi…"

Yugi froze beside him. He seemed like his words had a certain effect on him whenever he spoke a certain way, in his softest kind of voice. He was not the first one to react to him that way…

"I'm truly sorry for what you have endured. It cant have been easy. Your mother doesn't know where to turn her sorrow and wrath, so she turns it on you doesn't she?"

"Well, she does in a way… but I still think, it's my fault. I have… I have a blackout from that time, I don't remember much of what happened, but…"

"But what?" Yami was hit hard with Yugi's sadness, it turned him into ice, made him want to scream. He couldn't help himself. He laid a hand on Yugi's shoulder again.

"Listen to me Yugi. It's not your fault… it could never be."

"But how do you know I'm not a…" Yugi turned his eyes down, Yami noticed they were close to tears. Yugi never shared this with anyone. Opening up for this for the first time must be heart wrecking for him.

"I remember…" Yugi said with water swollen eyes, "I remember a lot of blood and my brother's lifeless body on the floor at home. I think…" Yugi's hands went to his face to hide his eyes. "I think I'm the one responsible…"

"Yugi…" Yami had expected a lot of things, but not this. Yugi had so bluntly admitted his worst fear to him. He had a lot of guts to open up to him like this – to a stranger he hardly knew. Without realizing his own actions Yami turned and grabbed Yugi violently. His arms went around him, holding him close. In the beginning Yugi froze again and all his muscles seemed to stiffen, but soon he relaxed and let go. As they touched all the images returned to them and the fire exploded – making them see and share parts of their life. They didn't stop it, but welcomed it. Yami saw so many lonely pictures of the boy Yugi. The second time was no shock to either of them and so they let the heat and images flash forward. Yugi breathed heavily and all his tears flooded out of him – every single built up tear he had cooped up inside. In spite of Yugi's sorrow, Yami felt a great happiness, knowing that he did what Yugi needed right now. And it may seem like a simple thing, but it was a great deal to the two boys standing in silence, one being held by the other. They didn't take any notice of the people around them or the elephants in their enclosure. Yugi's tears slowly stopped and he took a step back.

"Yami… I" – suddenly Yugi fell to his knees in agony. His arms went to his head, next his stomach. He had a hard time breathing properly.

"What's, happening to me?"

Yami stared in disbelief over the timing, but he soon reacted and violently took a grip in Yugi's arm.

"Come with me, we need to hide, now!"

"But, argh!... why?" Yugi could hardly walk from the pain in his muscles and skin.

"You might be turning for the first time and we don't want people to see that if it goes all the way through."

"I'm what!"


End file.
